Contrary to human rights, and the Nigerian law and justice system, Jonathan Elendu, a Nigerian blogger has been arrested and detained by the Nigeria’s secret service, without a right to a lawyer, or medical visit, reports claim.
The said, Mr. Jonathan Elendu a US based blogger has been in detention since Saturday for acts of sedition following his publications of somewhat controversial stories about Nigerian politicians, accusing some of them of corruption and others of crimes based on anonymous sources, on his website, Elendureports.com.
Reports suggests that Mr. Elendu was however arrested following photographs published on his website a few months ago showing President Umaru Yar’Adua’s son, a 13-year-old Musa Yar’Adua waving wads of money around and holding a policeman’s gun. During the election campaign in 2007, Elendureports.com also claimed that Mr. Yar’Adua had died during a medical trip to Germany.
International media rights groups ‘Reporters Without Borders’ have called for Mr Elendu’s release. But an Nigerian security spokesman Kene Chukwu told the BBC that Mr Elendu’s detention had followed legal rules. even though Mr. Elendu’s claims that he has not spoken to his client since his arrest. ‘They have not pressed any charges and have not allowed anyone to see him,’ he said.
Freedom of speech and the press has been questioned in Nigeria, following reports that two foreign journalists were detained and deported by the Nigerian security service for reporting in the politically sensitive oil-rich Niger Delta region over the last few months.
In September, six local reporters and media executives were detained and questioned after a television channel reported, after receiving a hoax e-mail, that the president planned to resign.
